The invention relates to seating and particularly to multi-passenger seating for use in aircraft. As fuel and other costs of owning and operating aircraft have increased, it has been found desirable to increase the seating density. This action serves to increase revenue during those trips when the aircraft is fully loaded and thus reduces the need to increase ticket prices to achieve a desired level of earnings. For example, by moving from a configuration of 30 rows at a 35" pitch to 36 rows at a 29" pitch, 6 rows can be gained. Obviously, however, passengers like to be comfortable during a long trip. Thus, if they find that one airline's seats are so closely pitched that their knees contact the seat in front of them or that they cannot move their feet or legs without bumping into the rear seat legs, they might prefer to take their next flight on another airline that has more comfortable seating arrangements.
Stringent federal regulations for aircraft seats and the design of the seat retaining tracks incorporated in all aircraft make it almost mandatory that the mounting studs of the front and rear legs of a seat be spaced apart at least about 18 inches. Such large spacings are necessary since it is essential that a fully loaded seat withstand 9 g's of force without pulling out of the seat track. For a three-person seat weighing 55 pounds, this means that 5,625 pounds of loading must be absorbed since the total weight of three passengers is assumed to be 510 pounds and the total weight of the underseat luggage is assumed to be 60 pounds. As the pitch or distance between a given point on a pair of seats is reduced, the restricting effect on a passenger's freedom to move his feet and legs and to stow his carry-on baggage is greatly magnified. For example, assuming an 18" front to rear leg spacing distance, a 33" seat pitch spacing will leave a 15" space between the rear leg of one seat and the front leg of the next, while a 29" pitch will reduce this space to 11". In other words, a 12% reduction in seat pitch spacing will produce a 27% reduction in leg space.